Good Eats

Blackened Fish Tacos with Carolina Peach Salsa

Satisfying and easy to make, these fish tacos topped with peach salsa are perfect for a summer supper.

It’s summertime, which means days are long and free time is short. The perfect summer suppers are those that use seasonal ingredients and require minimal effort, and fish tacos are the trifecta: fresh, fast, and flavorful. Any firm white fish will work well for tacos. Try using grouper, snapper, or triggerfish, which are all bountiful in the summer. As for taco-topping combinations, they’re limitless. Try cabbage, pickled onions, sautéed squash, fresh tomatoes, or your favorite seasonal produce.

Yield: 4 servings.

Peach Salsa

• 2 cups NC peaches, diced (approximately 4 medium peaches)
• 2 small jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
• 2/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate.  (This can be made up to one day in advance.)

Fish Tacos

• 4, 4-ounce fillets of firm white fish
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Combine dry seasonings in a small bowl.
2. Pat fish fillets dry. Coat both sides of fillets with olive oil.
3. Using your hands, rub the seasoning into both sides of the fillets.

Two ways to cook the fish

Broil:

1. Move the oven rack to highest position and preheat broiler on high.
2. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.
3. Place fillets on the foil. Broil for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until opaque and flaky throughout.

Grill:

1. Place fish fillets in the center of a large sheet of foil. Wrap fish in foil to form a loose but airtight foil pack.
2. Place pack on a medium-heat area of grill. Grill for 6-10 minutes, flipping pack halfway through, until fish is opaque and flaky throughout.

Accoutrements, optional

• 16 corn tortillas
• Sliced avocado
• Shredded cabbage
• Pickled onions
• Tomatoes
• Hot sauce
• Fresh lime juice

Taco Assembly

1. Stack tortillas and wrap in aluminum foil. Heat in oven or on grill until tortillas are warm (approximately 10 minutes).
2. Stack two tortillas together. Add fish, lime juice, peach salsa, and toppings of your choice.